Heating device



Feb. 24, 1942.

4. c. SHARP HEATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 27, 1939 Inventor: John C. Shan-p,

His Attorhe/g.

Patented Feb. 24, 1942 FFlcE RBSSW SEP 8v m6 John c. sim-p, Glen Euyn, nl., minor to Edison General Electric Appliance Company, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Application December 27, 1939, Serial No. 311,14'l

6 Claims.

This invention relates to heating devices, more particularly to heating devices provided with hot plates, such as a range, and it has for its object the provisionof an improved device of this character having a hot plate that increases the speed and efllciency of cooking, one which has a simple, durable and. inexpensive construction, and moreover which is constructed and arranged to greatly facilitate the cleaning of the various elements of which the plate is made.

.In one form of this invention, the range is provided with a top wall denning a cooking surface or area that has an opening for receiving a heating unit. The heating unit has a heat generating element. and a support for the heat generating element that holds it in its cooking posi-v tion in the opening in the cooking surface. In one form, a sheathed electric heating element is provided, and is supported on a grid-like frame which in turn is mounted in a ring that is supported by the top wall of the range.

Under the heat generating element is a reflector formed from a single piece of reiiecting material. `The reflector is separable as a unit from the heating element and its supporting member. The top wall supports the reflector beneath the heatgenerating elementl so that when the heating element and its support are removed or elevated from their opening in the top wall, the reflector may be withdrawn as a unit for the pur-I pose of cleaning, repair or replacement. In order to facilitate the removal of the reector, the heating means comprising the heat generating element and its supporting ring are pivotally secured to the top wall ofthe range so that the heating element and its support can be swung upwardly as a unit from the opening tol provide ready access to the reiiector which is supported beneathit.

Preferably, the heating element will be provided with terminals arranged at the side and adjacent the pivotal connection means between the heating unit and the top wall. and preferably these terminals will extend downwardly through the supporting ring, and also through the re- (Cl. 21S-37) flector which is provided with a recess through vention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an electric heating device embodying this invention. parts being shown in section and parts of construction; Fig. Z is a vertical sectional view taken through the heating unit of Fig. l: Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating certain elements in different positions; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and looking inthe direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows: and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation looking inthe direction of the arrows 6-8 of Fig. 11. f

Referring to the drawing, this invention has been shown in one form as applied to an electric range provided with a heating unit having an electric sheathed heat generating element. As shown, the range comprises a top wall or heating surface Ill which is provided with a circular opening II that is adapted to receive the heating.h unit I2. f

The heating unit I 2 comprises a pair of sheathed heating elements I3 and Il lying in a common plane that is substantially parallel to the top wall of the range. Preferably, these elements will be constructed as described in the United States Patent to C. C. Abbott No. 1,367,341, dated February 1, 1921; as there described, each heating element is provided with a coiled resistance conductor I Ihoused in a metallic sheath I6 and supported in spaced relation with reference to the sheath by a highly compacted layer I1 formed oi' a suitable heat conducting, electrically insulating material, such as powdered magnesium oxide. 'I'he heating element I3 is in thev shape of a distorted U positioned around the heating element Il, as shown. The terminal sections or ends I3a of the heating 'element Il are located at one side of the heating unit I2, as shown. The inner heating element I'I is in the form of a spiral, and also has its terminal sections or ends Ila at one side of the unit I2 and adjacent the terminal sections Ila of the element I3. Both of the terminal sections Ila and Ila extend downwardly and outwardly from the plane of the elements I3 and Il, as shown in Fig. 2. The terminal sections I 3a and Ila of the two elements are provided with terminals Ila which have their inner ends electrically connected with the resistance conductors I5 and their outer ends projecting from their associated sheaths, asclearly showninFig. 4. i i

The two heating elements I3 and Il are mounted on a grid I8 which, as shown, comprises three arms lIa joined at the center of the unit I2 and extending radially outwardly at angles of broken away so as to illustrate certain details 5 5 120 t0 each thel These arms are provided with notches i8b in which the turns of the heat- `ing elements I'3 and I4 are received and which are provided with peened-over sections itc that firmly grip the turns and hold them in their proper relation to each other. 'Ihe outer ends of the arms l8a are mounted in a supporting member I8 which as shown is provided with a vertically positioned circular ange 2l. The grid arms Isa are provided with outwardly projecting tongues 2l at their ends which are received in apertures 22, 23 provided for them in this circular flange. The section 22 of each aperture is elongated, as shown, and the material o! the iiange under this section is bent inwardly to deilne an abutment 24 which supports the associated grid arm I8a, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6.

The iiange is adapted to be inserted in the opening Il oi the top wall ill so as to support the heating elements i3 and I4 in proper'cooking position in the top wall. For this purpose, the support i9 is provided with a substantially horizontal circular ilange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the circular ilange 2l and adapted to overlap the area of the top wall ill around the opening Il, as clearly shown in iiange 2t. At the center the renector 32 is provided with a drain opening 3l. The seat il is provided with va notched section through which the hinge arm 21 passes; and the redector is provided with a notched section l1 through which the downwardly extending terminal sections Ila and Mooi the two heating elements Il and Il extend.

Suitable electrical supply leads ls are provided for the heating elements I3 and I4. These leads are electrically connected with the terminais [1a by connector members I! which have extruded portions a between which the ends of the terminals Ha are placed Aand fastened in any suitable way, as by welding. The connector members Il are positioned in a terminal block ll formed ot any suitable electrically insulating material. such as porcelain, and which is provided with recesses 4I that receive the connector members. As shown', the leads It are oonnected to the connector members 38 by lead Figs. 1 and 2. It is to be understood that the heating elements I3 and- Il project upwardly above the adjacent upper edges of the grid arms Ita and also above the highest section oi the ilange 25 so that cooking-vessels can be placed upon and in direct thermal contact with the sheaths I6 of these heating elements.

The top wall I0 is provided with a flange 2S depending downwardly inI the opening il and in substantially concentric relation with the flange 2lV of the support i9 when the heating unit is in its proper cooking position. The diameter of the opening Ii is somewhat larger than the diameter of the ilange 20 so that the ilange 2B is spaced somewhat from the ilange 2i, as clearly shown in Figs. l and l2. Mounted within the space`between the flanges 20 and 2l is one leg of a distorted U--shaped hinge arm 21. This leg is rigidly secured to the ilange 20 in any suitable manner, as by welding, and extends downwardly through the space between the flanges so that its nexus is below them, as shown in Fig. 2. The other leg of the hinge arm extends upwardly to a point opposite the outside surface o! the flange 26 and this leg is pivotally connected to the top wall Il by means of a hinge pin 2l which is mounted in a U-shaped bracket 2i. As shown more clearly in` Fig. 1, the U-shaped .bracket 2s has "flanges Il extending laterally outwardly from its two legs; these dangerv Il are secured to the flange 26 and hence to the tcp wall l0 in any suitable manner, as by welding. The arm 21 is hinged-'to the pin-2l by means of an eyelet 3| wviiihfA receives clearly shown in the .s

Preferably and' as shown, thelhinge tion means between the heating unit and the top plate is adjacent the terminal sections Ila and lla; in the form of the invention shown in the drawing theterminal sections are located directly opposite the hinge means.r Positioned under the heat generating elements 'ilI and Il `and under the grid Il which supports them and also the support I9 which supports the grid is a reflector 32. The riiector is roughly parabolic in shape, and at its marginal edge an outwardly extending ilange 33 which' is mounted upon a seat Il. The seat ll, as shown,

screws lla. The terminalA block l!! is loosely secured to the heating 4Velements by the lead screws Illa which project into recesses Ila provided for them in the block, as shown.

In the form of the invention shown, one set of the terminals |1a of the two heating elements it and I4 are electrically connected"together by one of the connectors Il which is connected with one supply lead 3l, while the opposite ter- `minals of the two elements are separate and are electrically connected to the other two of the supply leads. Theseconnections are such that' will be pmvided'with spaced apertures which receive these ends of the elements. The casing isilanged inwardly around these openings, as shown in Fig. 4, and the flanges are secured to themetallic sheaths Il, in any suitable manner,

but preferably by crimping them onto the sheaths. It will be observed that the shield 4T is located so that it will intercept dripme that might fall down on the terminal section of theheating unit. At the outer side of the shield ,n

underthehingearmll isachannel u inclineddownwardly from the center toward the two l.

sides to carry drippage away from the terminals at this side of the shield. Y

'me vente: of the unir may be pmimy closed by a circular plate Il which is secured to the arms lla by means of lugs or ears formed at the edges of the plate and received in apertures I1 provided tor them in the grid arms.v

Itwill be observed that the heating device oi' this invention has a very simple construction.

The heating elements are mounted in an open gridwhichinturnissupportedinaringlina very simple and inexpensive manner. The turns of the heating .element are spaced apart rather widely so thstail parts of the heating elements, grid and ring are accessible'` for cleaning. In addition, it willbe observed that the reilector is accessible merely by the heating unit I2 upwardly on its hingei'conn'ection. When this is done the reiiector l2 maybe withdrawn laterally.

extends inwardly laterallyirom the depending 76 It is to be noted that if the heating element is swung upwardly far enough the terminal protecting casing 42 will engage the reflector to elevate it so that it is more easily accessible. 'I'he reflector itself is of a simple construction being formed of a single reflecting sheet formed roughly in the shape of a parabola. The parabolic shape given the reflector insures the reflection of substantially all of the heat rays that are projected downwardly from the heating units back upwardly to the cooking vessel placed on the hot plate. The provision of this reflector in combination with the sheathed heating elements which directly support the cooking vessel increases the speed and eiiiciency of the operation of the hot plate.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An electric range comprising a top wall formed with an opening therein for receiving a heating unit, means depending downwardly from said wall through said opening to define a laterally extending supporting seat, an electric heating element, a supporting member having a supporting portion around said element, means securing said element to said supporting portion, said supporting portion fitting into said opening, and the supporting member having a part overlapping the top wall around the opening to support the supporting portion and thereby the heating element in its cooking position in said opening, a hinge arm secured to said supporting member having a part extending Aunder said top wall, means pivotally connecting said part to said top wall, and a reflector under said heating element separate from said heating element and said supporting member within which said heating element is mounted and resting on said seat so as to be removable therefrom when said supporting member is pivoted upwardly. i

2. An electric range comprising a top wall having an opening therein for receiving a heating unit and a flange depending down from said wall through said opening terminating in a laterally extending seat, an electric heating element, a support having a supporting portion for said heating element fitted into said opening, means securing said heating element to said supporting portion, and said support having a part engaging a part of said top wall so as to support said supporting portion within' said opening, a hinge arm secured to said support having a part extending under said top wall, means pivotally connecting said part to said top wall, and a renector under said heating element separate as a unit therefrom and from said support within which said heating element is mounted and resting on said seat so as to be removable therefrom when said support is pivoted upwardly.

3. An electric range comprising` a top wall having an .opening therein for receiving a heating unit and a flange depending down from said wall and the supporting member having a part overthrough said opening terminating in a laterally extending seat, a sheathed electric heating element, a supporting member having a continuous supporting portion around said element, means securing said element to said supporting portion, said supporting portion tting into said opening,

lapping said top wall around the opening to support the supporting portion and thereby the heat-.- ing element in its cooking position in said opening, a hinge arm secured to said supporting member having a part extending under said top wall, means pivotally connecting said part to said top wall, and a reflector under said heating element separate as a unit from said heating element and said supporting member within which the heating element is mounted and resting on said seat so' as to be removable therefrom when said supporting member is pivoted upwardly.

4. A range comprising a top wall having an aperture therein for receiving a heating unit, and a flange depending downwardly in said aperture terminating in an inwardly extending transverse seat, a heat generating element, a support mounted on said top wall having a continuous supporting portion secured to said element, a reflector under said heat generating element resting on said seat', a hinge arm secured to said supporting portion close to saidange and extend-lng downwardly and outwardly to a point under said top Wall, the seat having a recess through which said arm passes, and hinge means secured to said top wall pivotally mounting said arm.

5. An electric range having a top wall provided with an opening therein for receiving a heating unit that has a supporting ring receivable in said opening, a sheathed electrical heating element within said ring having terminal ends adjacent each other and a section of said ring and directed downwardly through said ring, terminals for said ends secured thereto, a, shield attached to said ends covering said terminals to protect them from drippage through said ring, a hinge connecting said ring to said top wall, a reflector detached from said ring and heating element located under said heating element and having a recess through which said terminal ends pass, and means supporting said deflector under said heating element.

" ilange on said top wall.

circular support having terminal sections at one side adjacent-said supportand extending downwardly and outwardly, said ange on said top wall having an inwardly extending circular, seat,

a reflector for said heating lelement resting on said seat provided with a notch through which said terminal sections extend, a hinge arm secured to said circular support, and a hinge pin to which said arm is pivoted secured to said JOHN c. SHARP. 

